Hose supporter



Dec. 23, 1930. H. J. STUART H05 E SUI-PORTER Filed Nov. 5. 1929 V minim? "a \X I I i l i I IN V EN TOR. jfelzr JSfi/M'Zj A TTORNEY Patented Dec. 23, 1930 warren STATES PATENT OFFl'CE HENRY J. STUART, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE BASSETT METAL GOODS COMPANY, INC OF DERBY, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT HOSE SUPPORTER gpplication filed. November 5, 1929. Serial No. 404,894.

This invention relates, generally, to improvements in hose supporters or garters; and the invention has for its principal object to provide an improved stocking or hose gripping structure adapted to furnish an clasp, together with a mounting for said collet or button, whereby a flat or smooth bottomed support for the latter is furnished, to the end that substantially no irritation to the leg of the wearer arises, and a comfortable stocking gripping means of minimum bulk is provided.

Furthermore, the invention has for an additional object to provide a noveljconstruction of oollet or button for garter clasps,

which is reenforced with respect to the body thereof per se, both for the purpose of in creasing its durability and preventing chipping, breaking or other deformations thereof, as well as for the purpose of increasing the inherent resiliency thereof.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the same.

An illustrative embodiment of the novel garter clasp made according to and embody ing the principles of this invention is shown by the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a face view (in part) of a stockingsupporter equipped with the novel clasp structure made according to and embodying the principles of this invention, the latter being shown in operative gripping or holding relation to a stocking body; Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section, taken on line 2-2 in Fig. 1, but drawn on an enlarged scale; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the novel oollet or button and its mounting or base plate, with the gripping loop removed; Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 3; and

structure including a Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section, taken on line 5-5 in Fig. 3.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the hereinabove described views, to indicatecorresponding parts.

Referring now to said drawings, the reference characterGindicates the suspensionstrap of a garter, which may be of any well known type or construction,and which carries at its lower extremity the coupling loop or member 7 (usually inade of metallic wire or as a metal stamping), and which provides a connecting support for the button strap 8 of the garter clasp per se, and through the pivoting link 9, also mounted thereon, a pivotal connection or'hinge for a gripping loop 10.

Mounted onthe button strap 8 is a carrier or base-plate 11 for supporting the collet or button of the garter clasp. Said car- P rier or base-plate 11 is provided, adj acentto its upper and lower ends respectively, wlth transverse slots 12 and 13, through which the body of the button strap 8 is threaded to en and hold said carrier or base in. desired fixed position thereon.

The novel oollet or button carried by the carrier or base-plate 11 comprises a resilient body or element of peculiar construction and shape, which is made of molded rubber stock.

This body or element consists in a unitary head or top-portion'li, the upper surface of which is preferably rounded to provide a convex contour. The

periphery of said head or top-portion 1 1 is undercut to provide an inwardly and downwardly inclined peripheral shoulder 15. E2 tending downwardly from said shoulder 15 is a shank 16 which is'preferably slightly taper- 7 ing, from the point of juncture with said peripheral shoulder 15 of the head or topportion, downwardly and inwardly toward its bottom end. The bottom of said shank 16 is formed to provide an upwardly depressed concavely hollowed portion 17 whereby the mass of the shank or base portion is reduced. to'thereby render the external parts of the shank more springy or resilient, as well as to provide space for disposing the anchoring structure of the oollet or button above the bottom plane of the carrier or base plate 11, so that the bottom surface of the latter element may possess a smooth flat surface free from projections, and consequently adapted to avoid irritation to the leg of the wearer, and thus insure greater and comfort to said wearer; in the addition to these advantages, the construction described permits of the use of a collet or button having a minimum height, and consequently one less likely to produce bulges which are apparent in and through thin dresses or gowns when the garter structure is worn by women. The collet or button, having the general external contour or shape above described, is provided with a central or axial bore 18, terminating at its upper end in a counter-sunk seat 19 of enlarged diameter.

To mount the collet or button in assembled and secured relation to the carrier or baseplate 11, the latter is provided with an upwardl pressed perforate portion to form a substantially conical shoulder 20, which rises above the plane of said carrier or base-plate so as to extend into the hollowed portion 17 of the collet or button to be mounted thereon. The reference character 21 indicates a fastening' rivet or post. substantially corresponding in diameter to that of the bore 18 of the collet or button, and having at its upper end an an nular enlargement or head 22 adapted to seat itself in the counter-sunk seat 19 of said col let or button. The lower end of said rivet or post 21 is of reduced diameter to provide a riveting lug 23 whereby a shoulder is formed to eu. ..ge upon the conical shoulder 20 of the carrier or base-plate ll. while the riveting lug 23 extends through the perforation defined by said conical shoulder 20, to be headed or crushed over the underside of the marginal portions of the latter. thereby securing sa d rivet or ost to said carr er or base-plate ll. with headed over or ri eted lug contained within the limits of th space beneath the conical shoulder 20 and above the bottom plane of said carrier or base plate ll. to main tain the letter f ee from projections. With the rivet or post 21 thus assembled relative to the carrier or base plate 11 and the co let or button. t e latter is supported in fixed relation to the former. and subj ct to cooperation with the gripping loop 10 of the garter clasp.

i be collet or button is in. de of molded ruhher composition to provide a peculiar novel con'iposite body. comprising main mass 24. which may consist in a rubber compouu d tem pered or modified by the inc usion filler material to produce a body of desired shape retaining qualities well as that degree of surface hardnes desire in combination with which there provided an interior reenforcrug core portion which preferably consists in a tough ant paratively high rubber gum contents. This core portion 25 extends annularly within the interior of the main mass 24, and may be variously shaped as to its cross-section, although i have formed the S-shape shown in the drawings to be highly sat sfactory, since it distributes the extra resilient material thereof to best adyantage, both from the standpoint of rendering the collet and button resilient at desired points, as well as from the standpoint of reenforcing toe external mass 24 adequately against breaking. splitting. chipping and similar deterioraticm.

It will be observed that, owing to the novel contour and the internal structure of the col let or button, the same may be made of comparatively large diameter but of little height; and by reason of the large diameter of the shank 16 a better gripping cooperation with the loop 10 is attained since a greater surface contact of material, such as stocking body S, with the collet or button is attained, when such material is engaged over the collet or button and clasped thereto by the embrace of the gripping loop 10. At the same time owing to the hollowed bottom of shank 16, the body or wall of such portion of the collet or button is reduced, so as to increase the resiliency thereof, and consequently such shank portion conforms more readily and snugly to the embrace of the gripping loop 10; this latter effect is also increased in effectiveness by the higher resiliency of the shank of the collet or button which is obtained by the resilient core 25, whereby a greater amplitude of deformation under the embrace of the gripping loop may be attained Without risk of cracking. splitting or breaking the col lot or button. In other words the resiliency of the collet or button is relatively high at the shank, where embrace of the gripping loop occurs, as compared with the resiliency of the head portion. Another advantage of the novel construction of the collet or button, which enhances its efficiency in service, is the tapered contour of the shank and oblique undercut contour of the head thereof, whereby, when the stocking material is engaged over the collet or button, and clasped thereto by the gripping loop 10. not only will said material be smoothly snugged around the head, but the draw or pull on the gripping loop, tending to cause the latter to ride upwardly on the shank, will produce a wedging action tending to more firmly grip the stocking material, and thus prevent relative slipping of the same between the collet or button and gripping loop.

It will be understood that the garter clasp 1s manipulated, when applying and removing the same from engaged relation to stocking material, in the usual or conventional man ner; but with attendant advantages, as above pointed out, which have not heretofore been attained with ordinary collets or buttons as heretofore supplied. With my novel collet or button, I have found that a firm and secure grip on stocking material is obtained, even with the thinnish or most sheer ma terials, and that, because of the superior resiliency of the collet or button and the comparatively large surface areas provided thereby for engagement with the material, without risk of breaking or injuring the threads of the stocking material, or the starting of runs therein from the latter or other causes.

I am aware that many detail changes could be made in the above described construction and many apparently widely difierent embodiments of this invention could be made without departing fromthe scope thereof, and consequently it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim 1. In a garter clasp having a button strap and a gripping loop to cooperate therewith,

a button on said strap comprising a baseplate mounted on the strap, a post supported by said base-plate, and a resilient collet mountedaround said post, said collet having a head portion and a shank footing on said base plate, the bottom of said shank having a hollowed part to provide annular external walls of reduced mass at points which receive the embrace of said gripping loop, whereby the resiliency of the collet' at the latter points is increased.

2. In a garter clasp having a button strap and a gripping loop to cooperate therewith, a button on said strap comprising a base plate having an upwardly directed perforate hollow conical shoulderportion, a post footed on said shoulder, said post having a riveting lug headed over the under side of said shoulder within the limit of the hollow interior thereof to thus maintain the bottom surface of said base-plate free from external pro.

jections, and a resilient collet mounted around said post, said collet having a head portion and a shank footing on said base-plate, the

bottom of said shank having a hollowed part to provide external walls of reduced mass at points which receive the embrace of saidgripping loop, whereby resiliency of the collet at the latter points is increased.

3. In a garter clasp having a button strap and a gripping loop to cooperate therewith, a button on said strap comprising a baseplate mounted on the strap, a post supported by said base-plate, and a resilient collet mounted around said 7 post, said collet having a head portion provided with an oblique inwardly undercut periphery and a downwardly tapering shank, the bottom of said shank having a hollowed portion to provide walls in a reduced mass at points which receive the embrace of said gripping loop, whereby the resiliency of the collet at the latter points is increased.

4. In a garter clasp having a button strap and a gripping loop to cooperate therewith, a button on said strap comprising a base-plate having an upwardly directed perforate hollow conical shoulder portion, a post footed on said shoulder, said post having a riveting lug headed over the underside of said shoulder within the limits of the hollow interior thereof to thus maintain the bottom surface of said main base-plate free from external projections, and a resilient collet mounted around said post, said collet having a head portion provided with an oblique inwardly undercut periphery and a downwardly tapering shank, the bottom of said shank having a hollowed portion to provide walls of reduced mass at points which receive the embrace of said gripping loop, whereby theresiliency of the collet at the latter points is increased. 7

5. In a garter clasp having a button strap and a gripping loop to cooperate therewith, a button on said strap comprising a baseplate having an upwardly directed perforate hollow conical shoulder portion, a post footed on said shoulder, said post having a riveting lug headed over the underside of said shoulder within the limits of the hollow interior thereof to thus maintain the bottom surface of said main body-plate free from external projections, said post having an enlarged headat its upper end, and a resilient collet mounted around said post, said collet having a counter-sunk seat at its upper end for the head of said post,"said collethaving an annular head portion and a shank depending therefrom, the bottom of said shank having a hollowed part to provide external walls of reduced mass at points which receive the embrace of said gripping loop, whereby resiliency of the collet at the latter points is increased.

6. In a garter clasp having a button strap and a gripping loop to cooperate therewith, a button on said strap comprising a baseplate having an upwardly direct-ed perforate hollowconical shoulder portion, a post footing on said shoulder, said post having a riveting lug headed over the underside of said shoulder within the limits of the hollow interior thereof to thus maintain the bottom surface of said main base-plate free from external projections, said post having an enlarged head at its upper end, and a re silient collet mounted around said post, said collet having a head portion provided with an oblique inwardly undercut periphery and a downwardly tapering shank, the bottom of said shank having a hollowed portion to provide walls of reduced mass at pointswhich receive the embrace of said gripping loop,-

whereby the resiliency of the collet at the latter points is increased.

7 In a garter clasp having a button strap and a gripping loop to cooperate therewith, a button on said strap comprising a baseplate mounted on the strap, a post supported by said base-plate, and a resilient collet mounted around said post, said collet having a head portion and a shank footing on said base-plate, said collet consisting of a body of molded rubber compound having an internal reenforcing core of a different rubber com pound which possesses a higher rubber gum content.

8. In a garter clasp having a button strap and a gripping loop to cooperate therewith, a button on said strap comprising a baseplate having an upwardly directed perforate hollow shoulder portion, a post footing on said shoulder, said post having a riveting lug headed over the underside of said shoulder within the limits of the hollow interior thereof, and a resilient collet mounted around said post, said collet having a head portion and a shank footing on said base-plate, said collet consisting of a body of molded rubber compound having an internal reenforcing core of a different rubber compound which possesses a higher rubber gum content.

9. A collet for garter clasps, comprising a unitary body providing a head portion and a shank depending from said head portion, said body consisting in an external mass of vulcanized compound having an internal core of relatively higher rubber gum content.

10. A collet for garter clasps, comprising a unitary body providing a head portion having an obliquely undercut periphery, a tapered shank depending from said head portion, said body consisting in an external mass of vulcanized rubber compound having an internal core of relatively higher rubber gum content.

11. A collet for garter clasps, comprising a unitary body providing a head portion having an obliquely undercut periphery, a tapered shank depending from said head portion, said body consisting in an external mass of vulcanized rubber compound having an internal core of relatively higher rubber gum content, said body having an axial bore terminating at its upper end in a. countersunk seat of enlarged diameter.

12. A collet for garter clasps, comprising a unitary body providing a head portion and a shank depending from said head portion, the bottom of said shank having a hollow portion to reduce the mass of the walls of said shank, said body consisting in an external mass of vulcanized rubber compound having an internal core of relatively higher rubber gum content, and said core extending annularly throughout both the head portion and shank.

13. A collet for garter clasps, comprising a J unitary body providing a head portion and a shank depending from said head portion, the bottom of said shank having a hollow portion to reduce the mass of the walls of said shank, said body consisting in an external mass of vulcanized rubber compound having an internal core of relatively higher gum content, said core extending annularly throughout both the head portion and shank, said body having an axial bore terminating at its upper end in a countersunk seat of enlarged diameter.

14. A collet for garter clasps, comprising a unitary body providing a head portion having an obliquely undercut periphery, a tapered shank depending from said head portion, the bottom of said shank having a hollow portion to reduce the mass of the walls of said shank, said body consisting in an external mass of vulcanized rubber compound having an internal core of relatively higher rubber gum content, and said core extending annularly throughout both the head portion and shank.

15. A collet for garter clasps, comprising a unitary body providing ahead portion having an obliquely undercut periphery, a tapered shank depending from said head portion, the bottom of said shank having a hollow portion to reduce the mass of the walls of said shank, said body consisting in an external mass of vulcanized rubber compound having an internal core of relatively higher rubber gum content, said core extending annularly throughout both the head portion and shank, said body having an axial bore terminating at its upper end in a countersunk seat of enlarged diameter.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 30th day of October, 1929.

HENRY J. STUART. 

